Shaft positioning system



1953 H. M. SCHWEIGHOFER ETAL 2,

SHAFT POSITIONING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .025 7' M Sam ma or? 601900 [T Ava/40 50/1/ 1953 H. M. SCHWEIGHOFER ET AL 2,656,497

SHAFT POSITIONING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a:EQDEDGDGDDDDDEEEEGDEUDD o o o o o o o o 0 o o o m o o o o ko o o o o o L il o o o o o o 0 o Q qj HORST M, 5cH/4/E/6 /0F5Q GORDON 5 /V/CHOLSO/V TTO/Q/VE Y Patented Oct. 20, 1953 SHAFT POSITIONING SYSTEM Horst M. Schweighofer and assignors to Collins Radio Cedar Rapids, Iowa,

Gordon E. Nicholson,

Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application February 10, 1950, Serial No. 143,498

Claims.

This invention relates in general to information storing devices and in particular to a punchedcard control system for a plurality of shafts.

It is often desirable to control a relatively large number of shafts and to periodically change their setting to a new position. For example, while flying an airplane equipped with an automatic pilot and modern navigational equipment, it often becomes necessary to periodically adjust the navigational receiver, the navigational computer, the altitude control, the magnetic heading control, and the throttle. If it is desired to change from a heading of 90 degrees to one of 180 degrees, a number of knobs or control shafts must be adjusted to maintain the new condition. It may be easily imagined that the rapid adjustment of a plurality of shafts to a predetermined accurate position may be tedious and, in some cases, impossible.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a punched-card system for controlling a plurality of shaft positions with information previously stored on the card.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for rapidly and accurately positioning a plurality of shafts to a predetermined set of positions.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide means by which a plurality of shafts may be simultaneously adjusted to any one of a plurality of different positions.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision for a master controlling drum having a pre-punched card mounted thereon. A plurality of feeling pawls note the absence or presence of openings in the card and furnish information electrically to a plurality of shaft controlling units. Means are also provided for rotating the card holding drum to a plurality of positions for changing the information fed to the feeling pawls.

Further objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and claims when read in view of the drawings, in which;

Figure 1 illustrates the control system of this invention adapted to control one shaft;

Figure 2 illustrates the controlling drum with a plurality of feeling pawls mounted for controlling a plurality of shafts; and,

Figure 3 illustrates a card which may be detachably mounted on the controlling drum for storing information.

In Figure 1 is illustrated a pivotally supported I drum ID. The drum is formed with a plurality of ribs l I extending concentrically about the outer surface to form depressions therebetween. A card l2 of a generally rectangular shape, as shown in Figure 3, may be fitted about the drum [0 and attached to the surface thereof by the card holding means I3. The card holding means comprises a slot I 4 formed in the periphery of the drum and clamping means I3. The ends of the card [2 are inserted into the slot and the clamping means l3 tightened to firmly hold the card to the drum. Adjacent either edge [6 and ll of the card are formed a plurality of positioning openings. These openings receive the reference sprockets I8 and I9 which are carried on the drum Ill. Thus the card I2 is firmly maintained on the Clllllll ill in a predetermined spatial relationship with the shaft 2|.

Pivotally mounted on an axis 22, which is oflset laterally from the axis of the drum, are a Card-engaging ends 28 of the pawls extend toward the drum Formed in the card. 12 are a plurality of openings 29 which are in mating engagement with the downwardly extending portions 31 of the pawls. Not all the pawls; mate with an opening 29, and thus the pawl may be positioned in one of two positions, dependingupon the presence or absence of an opening in the card. The pawls are spring urged in a clock-wise, direction with reference to Figure l. If an opening is formed in the card beneath the downwardlyplurality of pawls 23, 24, 26, and 21.

i0 and engage the card [2.

extending portion of a pawl, the downwardly ex-- tending portion will project through the card and: into contact with the drum between a pair of, adjoining ribs H. The openings 29 are formed. in predetermined positions. If, on the other hand, the downwardly extending portion of the pawl is not in alignment with an opening in the card, the pawl will maintain contact with the card and will thus be rotated less than the pawls which have engaged the drum l2.

The opposite ends of the pawls are formed with switch actuating levers 32, 33, 34 and 36. A plurality of two-way switches 37 are mounted adjacent the pawls such that each actuating lever engages a throw arm of a switch to move it from a first position to a second position. The first position contacts 38 are electrically tied together and the second position contacts 39 are also tied together and connected to a common ground. The throw arms 4|, 42, 43 and 44 of the two-way switches are connected to control wires 46, 41, 48 and 49, respectively. The control wires are connected to a controlled wafer switch 5|. Wafer switches are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail herein. Reference may be had to the patent issued to Richard W. May and Horst M. Schweighofer No. 2,476,673 for more detailed description of these switches. Briefly, the wafer type switch is an open circuit seeking device which will, if driven by a motor that is connected in series with the switch, find an open circuit if one exists. It is to be observed that the throw arms 44, 42, 43 and All which are actuated by the pawls may obtain an open circuit in a plurality of ways. For example, if three of the throw arms are moved to the left position shown in Figure 1 and the fourth switch moved to the right position, and if a suitable voltage supply is connected to the wafer switch 5:, there is only one position of the wafer switch which gives an open circuit. Thus a plurality of positions may be controlled by the card actuated pawls by selecting various combinations of positions for the throw arms 41 through 44. The wafer switch 5| is electrically connected to the actuating relay 52. The relay is connected to a voltage supply furnished to the terminal 53. The relay'52 actuates a two-way switch as which is electrically connected to ground and which moves from an open circuit terminal 56 to a motor connect terminal 5'! to close the control circuit of a suitable driving'motor 58 which is also connected to a voltage supply. The armature 59 of the relay 52 is mechanically connected to a locking pawl, designated generally as 80 which is pivotally mounted on a base plate and has a tooth-engaging portion 61 for engagement between the teeth of a toothed-stop wheel 62. The stop wheel 62 is carried on a control shaft 63 which is mechanically linked to the motor 58 and also to the switch 5|. A slip clutch 64 allows motion of the motor when the pawl is in the locked position. The control shaft 63 is connected to a controlled element which may be, for example, as an altitude control for an airplane. Thus means are provided for maintaining an aircraft at any predetermined altitude. A position of the control shaft will depend directly on the position of the openings formed in the card l2. Thus for each combination of openings there will be a particular setting for the shaft 63.

Referring to Figure 2, the drum [8 of Figure l is once again illustrated with a card l2 mounted thereon. In this case, however, a plurality of shaft controlling systems receive information fromthe card l2 and in turn control a plurality of shafts. Thus, a plurality of systems of the type shown in Figure 1, have been combined in the embodiment of Figure 2. The pivoted pawls may be mounted on either side of the drum H) to allow for a larger number of positions and, if desired, more pawls may be placed about the periphery of the drum. Thus there will be a particular controlled shaft associated with each of the controlling units. Each control unit may consist of four pawls, and thus Figure 2 illustrates four control units 56, 61, 68 and 69. In that each of the control units are identical to the one shown in Figure 1 only the pawl arrangement is illustrated.

oftentimes during an aircraft flight different legs of the flight are calculated and known before the take-off. Thus if a card is punched prior to take-off, information controlling the shafts may be stored in the card. For example, the card i2 illustrated in Figure 3 may be punched with a plurality of rows of openings with each row corresponding to particular settings for the controlled shafts. If adiacent rows A and B correspond to stored information representing adjacent legs of a flight and provision is made for rotating the drum [0, the controlled shafts may be changed from a first flight leg position to a second flight leg position. A control knob ll shown in Figure 1, is movable to a plurality of positions and is mechanically linked to the drum l6. As each leg of the flight is ended, the pilot may set the conditions for the succeeding leg by merely changing the position of the knob l I. This allows information from the pre-punched card to be fed to the plurality of controlled shafts.

It is sometimes desirable to alter flight plans after the aircraft is in the air. This may be done while still maintaining automatic flight by carrying a card punch on the plane for punching a new card. Disabling circuits may be installed in the equipment for disconnecting the pawl actuating circuits during change of cards. The old card is removed from the drum and the new card inserted. A shaft 12 carries a plurality of cams 13 and is pivotally mounted adjacent the shaft 22. The shaft 72 is mechanically linked to control knob H 50 that it makes one-half revolutions each time the knob is moved one position. A suitable gear train makes this possible. The cams 13 engage the pawls 23, 24, 25, and 26 and move them out of engagement with the card during the change of position step. This allows the card to rotate freely. The cams may lift the pawls while cards are changed by moving the knob H to a mid-position. Once a new card is inserted, the knob H is moved to the desired position and the cams allow the pawls to engage the card. The disabling circuits once again allow the controlled shafts to take over and fly the plane.

Although this invention has been described with particular reference to an aircraft control system, it is not to be so limited as it is easily understood that the system of the invention relates to any apparatus for controlling a plurality of shafts The aircraft problem is used because it is a particularly vital one and well illustrates a use of this invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling the position of a shaft comprising, stop means engageable with said shaft, driving means connected to said shaft, actuating means connected to said motor and said stop means, a controlled switch connected. to said actuating means, a plurality of conductors connected to said controlled switch, a cylinder rotatably mounted, a punched card fastened to the periphery of said cylinder, a plurality of pawls pivotally supported adjacent said cylinder and having one of their ends engaged with the cylinder or card depending on whether an opening is formed in the card at the contact point of the pawl, switch actuating portions extending from the opposite ends of said pawls, and a two-way switch attached to each actuating pawl and movable from a first position to a second position, and one of said plurality of conductors connected to each of the two-way switches.

2. In apparatus for positioning a shaft having stop means engageable with said shaft, driving means for rotating said shaft, and motor actuating means connected to a control circuit; a control circuit actuating means comprising, a drum rotatably supported, a perforated card detachably connected to said drum, a plurality of pawls pivotally supported adjacent said drum and having an extending portion engageable with the drum or the card depending whether or not a perforation is formed in alignment with the end of said pawl, a plurality of control wires leading to said control circuit, a plurality of two-way switches.

adjacent the opposite end of said pawls, one of said control wires connected to each two-way switch, and said opposite ends of the pawls moving said two-way switches from a first position in contact with ground to a second position above ground.

3. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of shafts comprising a plurality of units according to claim 2 wherein the pawls of each control unit are pivotally supported adjacent said cylinder to engage perforations therein.

4. In apparatus for controlling a shaft which has stop means attached thereto and is driven by a driving means wherein'said driving means and stop means are actuated by electromagnetic means, and in turn controlled by a controlled switch, controlled switch actuating means comprising; a cylinder rotatably supported on a base member, a selector knob mechanically linked to said cylinder for changing its position, a perforated card detachably mounted on said cylinder, a plurality of pawls pivotally supported on a shaft adjacent said cylinder and having an engaging portion which is spring-urged toward the cylinder, a switch actuating portion at the opposite end of each pawl, a plurality of two-way switches adjacent the switch actuating portions with each connected electrically to said controlled switch, said switch actuating portion engageable with said switch for moving it from a first position connected electrically to ground to a second position connected electrically to a terminal above ground.

5. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of shafts comprising a plurality of units such as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pawls are supported adjacent the periphery of said cylinder and actuate two-way switches in response to the presence of perforations in said card.

6. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of shafts comprising a plurality of systems according to claim 4 mounted about the periphery of said drum, a control knob connected to said drum for changing its angular position, and cam actuating means connected to said knob for lifting the pawls from a position out of engagement with the card when the angular position of the cylinder is changed.

7. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of shafts comprising a plurality of stop means engageable with said shafts, a control circuit for each stop means for causing said stop means to prevent rotation of said shafts, driving means connected to said shafts, a cylinder rotatably supported and formed with ribs about the surface, a plurality of pawls pivotally supported adjacent said cylinder and spring-urged toward said cylinder, a perforated card mounted on said cylinder with said perforations placed according to a predetermined code, said pawls engaging said card or said cylinder if a perforation exists under the pawl, a plurality of switches actuated by said pawls, and control wires connected from said switches to a control circuit with each control circuit receiving more than one control wire.

8. Apparatus for controlling the position of a shaft comprising, a stop wheel mounted on said shaft, 2. driving means connected to said shaft, a controlled switch mounted on said shaft, an actuating relay electrically connected between said controlled switch and said driving means, a locking pawl pivotally supported adjacent said stop wheel and engageable therewith, said actuating relay mechanically connected to said looking pawl, a drum mounted on a selector shaft, a perforated card mounted on said drum, a plurality of pawls pivotally supported adjacent said drum and formed with card engaging portions at one end thereof, a plurality of two-way switches mounted adjacent the opposite end of said pawls, switch actuating portions formed at the opposite ends of said pawls, and each of said two-way switches electrically connected to a different position of said controlled switch.

9. Means for controlling the position of a shaft by pre-punching perforations in a card comprising, a drum rotatably mounted on a selector shaft and formed with a plurality of ribs about its periphery, said card mountable on said drum, a plurality of pawls rotatably supported adjacent said drum and formed with card engaging portions for engaging said card on said drum, a twoway switch adjacent the opposite end of each of. said pawls, switch engaging portions formed at the opposite ends of said pawls to move said twoway switches from a first to a second position, a control wire connected to each of said two-way switches, a controlled switch electrically connected to said control wires, said controlled switch mounted on said controlled shaft, a driving means connected to said controlled shaft, and a motor actuating circuit connected between said controlled switch and said driving means.

10. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of shafts comprising, a drum rotatably supported on a selector shaft, a plurality of groups of pawls pivotally supported adjacent said drum and each pawl having a card engaging portion engageable with said card or drum, a two-way switch mounted adjacent the opposite ends of each of said pawls, a control switch for each of said groups of pawls, a switch actuating portion formed at the opposite ends of said pawls to actuate said two-way switches, a control wire from each of said two-way switches connected to said controlled switch for the respective group, each of said control switches mounted on a controlled shaft, a driving means connected to each of said controlled shafts, and a motor actuating circuit connected between each of said control switches and said driving means.

HORST M. SCHWEIGHOFER. GORDON E. NICHOLSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,055,031 Hutchings Sept. 22, 1936 2,249,753 Elliott July 22, 1941 2,436,068 Hegy Feb. 17, 1948 2,438,283 Hegy Mar. 23, 1948 2,466,776 May Apr. 12, 1949 2,476,673 May et al July 19, 1949 

